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When you’ve been to the beach or the swimming pool, you might have come across different types of diving goggles. But these different types also go by different names. Each type has its own benefits and features.
In this guide, I’ll tell you about one of the three different types – namely diving goggles. Among other things, I’ll tell you what makes a good pair of diving goggles, and I’ll share my recommendations for the models I consider the best based on experience and knowledge of the gear.
Specifically, in this guide I’ll cover:
Best adult diving mask for the price 
Best dive mask for adults with clear glass 
Best swimming goggles for elite competition/training (+10 years) 
Best swimming goggles for adults with clear lenses 
Best diving mask for adults with smoke lenses 
Best swim goggles for kids with mirrored lenses 
Best diving mask for children with blue lenses 
Best swimming goggles for splashing around and play for kids aged 6-12 
Even though diving goggles, swimming goggles, and diving masks are designed for the same purpose – to let you see underwater – their other features are quite different. Still, diving goggles are often confused with swimming goggles and diving masks.
Broadly speaking, the difference between the three types is as follows:
In short, diving goggles are a cross between a diving mask and swimming goggles. Diving goggles are larger than swimming goggles, but smaller than a diving mask. They leave your nose free so you can easily breathe out through it, while still giving you a wide field of view thanks to the large lens.
Good diving goggles feature a large frame that ensures they fit well, snugly, and comfortably on your head. In contrast, diving goggles do not cover your nose like a diving mask does, leaving your nose completely free.
Basically, an open nose means you might experience more pressure around your nose if you dive deeper than 5 metres. But if you stay near the surface or down to 5 metres below, the open nose will give you a better diving experience.
Whether you dive deeper than five metres is precisely the rule of thumb for deciding between diving goggles and a diving mask.
When you’re diving, you want to see as much as possible. So good diving goggles naturally give you a 180-degree view. Fortunately, the vast majority of diving goggles do just that.
Giving you a wide field of view requires a large frame. And the large frame has the advantage of distributing the pressure more evenly across your face. This means they fit more snugly and comfortably than regular swimming goggles, for example.
As I’ve already mentioned, the large frame ensures the goggles fit snugly and securely on your face. And because the frame itself creates a great seal, you won’t need to over-tighten the head strap. This makes diving goggles really comfortable to wear.
When your diving goggles fit comfortably, you avoid irritation while wearing them. You’ll also prevent those big red marks on your face when you take them off.
Good diving goggles are easy to adjust. Few people have the exact same head size, so it needs to be simple to adjust your goggles to fit you perfectly.
Adjustment mainly happens at the head strap, so a pair of diving goggles with an easily adjustable strap is definitely preferred.
When it comes to the colour of your goggle lenses, it does make a difference. It all depends on the conditions you’ll be using them in. Below, I’ve gathered the most common lens colours available for diving goggles, along with a description of which conditions each colour works best in.
Clear lenses are the most common type in diving masks. And for good reason. Clear lenses let you see things exactly as they are, without altering any surrounding colours.
However, clear lenses don’t protect your eyes from the sun’s rays. Nor do they shield against bright glare from the water’s surface. Clear lenses are therefore best if you’re diving relatively deep, where sunlight doesn’t reach.
Diving masks with clear lenses are also great for splashing around and playing in the swimming pool.
Smoke lenses help reduce the amount of light passing through the diving mask to your eyes. They aren’t completely dark, nor are they completely light. They’re mainly suitable for medium-bright conditions, which you’ll typically find 1–2 metres below the surface or in most swimming pools.
A diving mask with smoke lenses is a great all-rounder that can be used for a bit of everything. But don’t use them in low light conditions, as your vision will be too dark.
If you’re planning to use your diving mask in bright conditions, mirrored lenses are the most suitable choice. Keep in mind, though, that diving masks with mirrored lenses are quite rare. That’s because underwater light is rarely bright enough to require a mirror effect.
Mirrored lenses work by creating a reflective surface in front of your eyes. This reflects light away, which naturally gives you significantly darker vision. It also means mirrored lenses are great at protecting your eyes from strong glare.
Underwater, you won’t encounter light bright enough to make mirrored lenses necessary. But if you’re playing at the surface or using them in an outdoor pool, they’re really good.
For actual diving, it’s very rare that mirrored lenses are needed to see properly. In fact, you’ll usually struggle to see anything underwater if you use mirrored lenses.
So they’re mainly suited to swim training and competitions, rather than actual diving.
Blue lenses have the unique property of being really good at protecting your eyes against strong, sharp glints of light. And that’s without making your vision too dark. They can therefore be a very sensible choice if you’re purely diving around a couple of metres deep.
In addition, blue lenses work really well in both indoor and outdoor pools, or for swimming on the water’s surface. However, for the latter, I’d still recommend either mirrored lenses or smoke lenses.
I hope you now have a better idea of what makes a good pair of diving goggles and what features the different models and lenses offer. I’ll now jump straight to the topic you might find most interesting
Namely, which diving goggles we recommend as the best across different categories.
To give you some specific recommendations, I’ve chosen favourites across the following five categories:
If you’re on the hunt for diving goggles for kids, don’t worry – I’ve also gathered the most recommendable models for children later in the guide.
The recommendations below are based on hands-on experience with a wide range of the most popular diving goggles for swimming – both in Ireland and abroad – as well as customer feedback and product expertise. These include:
Aqua Sphere Vista
Speedo Speedsocket 2.0 mirror
Speedo Biofuse Flexiseal
Speedo Biofuse Flexiseal Smoke
The diving goggles are evaluated on factors such as diving goggles vs diving masks, field of vision, fit, materials, price, and an overall assessment based on hands-on experience with each model. It’s this combination of insights, product knowledge, and user feedback that forms the basis for the recommendations below.
Many swimmers will agree that they prefer goggles with a wide field of vision, especially open water swimmers and triathletes. However, the Watery Mantis Swim Mask can also be used indoors if you just want to see more than what traditional swim goggles offer.
The lenses on the Mantis model provide a wide 180-degree field of view so you can navigate easily in the water. They are also treated with anti-fog coating, so you don’t have to worry about foggy lenses. Plus, they come with clear lenses, making them ideal for both outdoor and indoor swimming.
To help boost your speed, the mask features rounded/curved lenses, giving you the best setup to minimise drag in the water. Last but not least, the strap is super easy to adjust with a handy click system, allowing you to tweak the fit even while you’re swimming.
The Aqua Sphere Vista is the most popular diving mask on the market. And with good reason. It offers an exceptional fit along with a wide 180-degree panoramic view.
The ergonomic shape ensures the mask sits securely on your head. That means it’s both comfortable and forms a tight seal to keep water out of your eyes. And the 180-degree view lets you take in everything around you—just like on land when you’re not wearing a mask.
The lenses feature an anti-fog treatment so they won’t fog up when you put them on. The strap can be adjusted with a simple one-touch buckle system, letting you adjust the fit on the go. Additionally, the soft silicone skirt ensures it rests comfortably against your face while keeping water out completely.
The Aqua Sphere Vista comes with clear lenses, making it ideal for low-light conditions—which is exactly what you typically encounter when diving. On top of that, the mask is hydrodynamically shaped to minimise water resistance.
They can therefore be used for diving, indoor pool sessions, and open water swimming alike.
If you want mirrored lenses, there’s really no getting around choosing a pair of swimming goggles. At least if you’re after the very best available with mirrored lenses. And when it comes to swimming goggles (or diving goggles, for that matter) with mirrored lenses, nothing comes close to the Speedo Speedsocket 2.0.
You get a mirrored lens that simply works. Even the brightest light is reflected away from your eyes, so you won’t get blinded whether you’re diving or swimming in bright conditions.
On top of that, the Speedo Speedsocket 2.0 sits really securely on your head. That means they won’t let any water in, no matter what you put them through.
The strap itself is a double strap, which also ensures the goggles stay firmly on your head. Plus, the lenses have an anti-fog coating so they won’t fog up when you put them on. They’re also very compact in size, giving you the lowest possible water resistance.
The Speedsocket 2.0 are the goggles Michael Phelps wore when he won eight Olympic gold medals. And if they’re good enough for Phelps and eight Olympic golds, they’re definitely good enough for you and me.
If you want to protect your eyes from bright glares without making your vision too dark, your best bet is to get the Speedo Biofuse Flexiseal in red/clear. Just like the aforementioned Speedo Speedsocket, the Biofuse Flexiseal is primarily a pair of swimming goggles.
Don’t let that put you off, though. They still sit really well on your head. In fact, they’re noticeably more comfortable than the Speedsocket. The blue lenses also filter out bright glares from your eyes. Plus, the lenses have an anti-fog treatment, so you don’t have to deal with foggy goggles when you put them on.
A lot of fitness swimmers use the Speedo Biofuse Flexiseal for their swim training both in the pool and in open water. And since they’re so well-suited for open-water swimming, they’re great for diving too.
Even though the goggles don’t sit right inside the eye sockets, but around them instead, there’s no problem keeping the water out. I haven’t experienced them letting water in a single time. Not even during vigorous movements underwater.
If you want smoke lenses in your swim goggles, Speedo Biofuse Flexiseal Smoke is one of the best choices. It’s the exact same goggle as the model with blue lenses, which has also received high praise. Here, you just get smoke lenses instead.
That also means they fit really well and comfortably around the eye sockets. And despite not sitting right up against the eyes, they always keep the water out.
Because these goggles have smoke lenses, they’re great for all-round use, both in the pool and in open water. They’re neither too dark nor too light. And with the anti-fog treated lenses, you can be sure they won’t fog up.
As the cherry on top, Biofuse Flexiseal Smoke comes in both a men’s and a women’s version. The latter has a slightly narrower fit that best suits a woman’s natural face shape.
As promised earlier in the guide, I’ve also selected four different recommendations for kids’ swim goggles. This makes it easy and safe for you to choose the best swim goggles for your child – depending on their personal needs and preferences.
The four categories I’ve selected recommendations for are:
The best diving mask for kids with clear lenses is undoubtedly Aqua Sphere Vista Junior. First and foremost, they’re by far the most comfortable kids’ diving goggles you can get. Plus, they give a wonderfully wide 180-degree field of view.
The wide, clear lenses let your child see everything going on around them, without any colour distortion. Because the lens is so wide, the frame itself is wide too. And that’s what makes them fit so comfortably. Instead of pressing close around the eye sockets, they sit well outside the eyes.
That makes a huge difference to comfort, especially if they’re wearing them for longer periods at a time.
A really great feature for kids is that the lenses on the Aqua Sphere Vista Junior are made from impact-resistant Plexisol. That makes them exceptionally hard to break. The lenses also have an anti-fog coating, so they won’t steam up when your child puts them on.
Aqua Sphere Vista Junior are hands down the best diving goggles for kids with clear lenses!
If you want to give your child the best dive mask with mirrored lenses, you should get them these TYR Tracer Junior Racing swimming goggles. And yes, they’re actually swim goggles. But they work significantly better for diving than actual dive masks with mirrored lenses!
Since the TYR Tracer Junior Racing goggles are actually designed for swimmers, you can be sure that water resistance is minimised and watertightness is maximised. They sit right in close around the eyes, which is great for both water resistance and keeping water out of the goggles.
The mirrored lens itself works really well too. Besides giving them a super smart look, the lens also reflects the sun’s glare away from the eyes. That makes them ideal for outdoor use where the light is bright.
They even come in both a boys’ and a girls’ version. So whether you have a boy or a girl, you can choose a pair that suits their taste.
If you want to protect your child from bright glare, you can’t go wrong with the Aqua Sphere Vista Junior with blue lens. Your child gets a proper dive mask that also works brilliantly as swim goggles. And it features blue lenses that protect their eyes from sharp glares of light.
The Aqua Sphere Vista Junior with blue lens fits more like a mask than a pair of swim goggles. That means it’s significantly more comfortable to wear, as it sits well clear of the eye sockets.
Thanks to the large lens and wide frame, your child gets a wide 180-degree field of vision. This also allows them to see things in their peripheral vision. Plus, the lenses are treated with anti-fog so they won’t steam up in the water.
The strap is easy to adjust with the simple one-click system, making it easy even for younger kids to adjust the fit. And the lenses are made from Plexisol, ensuring they can withstand whatever your child might throw at them.
If your child needs their diving mask for both the swimming pool and outdoors, the Watery Pacific with dark lens is the best choice. It features smoke lenses, which make it great for all-round use because the smoke tint takes the edge off bright glare without making things too dark.
Originally, Watery Pacific was designed as swimming goggles. But because it offers a 180-degree field of view despite being goggles, it’s also very well suited for diving. That 180-degree view means your child can use their peripheral vision too.
The strap is easy to adjust and ensures the goggles sit comfortably on the head. And because they sit around the eye sockets rather than inside them, the mask itself is really comfortable too. All without letting in any water.
So if you want to treat your child to the best all-round diving mask, go with the Watery Pacific with dark lens!
If you wear glasses, wearing diving goggles isn’t always easy. Some glasses wearers have good enough vision to just about manage without them. But for others, prescription lenses are essential to see anything at all.
That’s why it’s great that you can now get prescription diving goggles. That way, you avoid wearing contact lenses under your mask, simply because the prescription is built directly into the lenses.
Prescription diving goggles are available for both short-sightedness and long-sightedness. Some even range from -10 to +10 in strength!
If you need corrective lenses for your mask, you can find a wide selection of prescription diving goggles here.
To keep water out, it’s crucial to adjust your diving goggles properly. Otherwise, there’s a big risk of small leaks forming when you move around underwater.
The only place to adjust the fit of your goggles is the strap. It needs to be relatively snug to hold the mask securely in place. Smaller goggles often need to be tightened more than larger ones, as larger models have a wider surface area to rest on.
As a rule of thumb, adjust the strap so you can clearly feel the goggles on your face. A little tightness is fine, as long as it doesn’t feel like the mask is pinching or crushing your face. What feels slightly snug on dry land will feel much more comfortable once you’re in the water.
The vast majority of diving goggles on the market come with an anti-fog coating. But just like rust-proofing on a car, this coating gradually wears off with regular use. When that happens, your goggles will start to fog up.
Fortunately, that doesn’t mean you need to replace them. You can easily use an anti-fog spray to treat the lenses, keeping your dives crystal clear.
Each lens only needs a couple of quick sprays. Then, gently spread the liquid around using smooth circular motions. Finally, rinse off any excess liquid with clean water. That will keep you fog-free for your next 8–10 sessions in the water.
Thankfully, anti-fog spray is very affordable. And you can buy a great, affordable anti-fog spray right here.
If you, like me, want to take good care of your diving goggles, it’s important to store them properly. You can easily do this with a goggle case. That way, you protect them against scratches, dirt, greasy fingers and other things that shorten the lifespan of your hard-earned diving goggles.
What I do is rinse my diving goggles in fresh water immediately after each use. Then I let them dry a bit (out of direct sunlight) and place them in my goggle case. And there they stay until I need them next time.
If you want to take good care of your diving goggles, you can buy a practical and affordable goggle case here. Hint: It’s the exact same case I use myself.
There are plenty of places you can buy diving goggles – everything from department stores and sports shops to various beach shops along the coast. But if you want high-quality diving goggles, you should buy them from someone who really knows their stuff.
At Watery – the team behind Swimsorted – you’ll find exactly that expertise. We’re undoubtedly Ireland’s largest swim shop with by far the biggest selection, also when it comes to diving goggles. And naturally from the biggest and best brands.
If you check Trustpilot, our trust score is right at the top. Combined with fair prices and fast delivery, it makes total sense to buy your new diving goggles – and all your other watersports gear – from Watery.
